Philadelphia, PA, July 1, 2009 – With the rise of obesity related health conditions the availability of nutritious food in hospitals has sparked a national debate that has many focusing more on healthy choices and nutritional education. Setting an example for how hospital Cafés may look in the future, ARAMARK Healthcare created a healthy food environment for the visitors, patients and employees at Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville, NC, it was announced today.
A healthy food environment is one that offers a significant number of healthy menu choices, is designed so that consumers are presented with healthy choices in the most convenient locations and offers expert nutritional education.
“Pitt County Memorial Hospital has made great strides with this program in creating an environment that can change dining behaviors by making nutritious food choices available, marketing them effectively and offering nutrition education to encourage a healthy lifestyle, “said independent professional nutrition consultant Dr. Kathryn Kolasa.
Components of the ARAMARK Healthcare program at Pitt County Memorial Hospital include collaboration among Registered Dietitians and chefs on recipe development, and an online menu that markets healthy specials and enables hospital employees to access information to manage their nutritional intake before leaving their work areas.
The online menu is augmented at the point of purchase with ARAMARK’s “Just4U” program, which provides information on calories, saturated fat, total fat, sodium and cholesterol for most food items. The serving area also is designed to flow consumers so that they are exposed to healthy choices first.
Additional components of the program include healthy items offered daily at each of the hospital’s four food venues (examples are: grilled chicken served with a side salad and non-meat, broth-based soups); demonstrations of cooking methods with samples and recipe cards featuring healthy options; and Heart Healthy Fridays, which feature a complete 500 calorie meal that meets American Heart Association guidelines. A local restaurant guide is available too so employees can make healthier dining choices when away from work.
The hospital also introduced a heart healthy café in the lobby of the East Carolina Heart Institute featuring a menu that consists of heart-healthy sandwiches, salads, sushi and desserts/snacks. Pizza is served, but you won’t find pepperoni. You will find vegetables, low-fat cheese and whole wheat crust. Espresso beverages are served using skim milk and salads use fresh vegetables topped with grilled salmon, tuna or chicken. All preparation methods promote foods’ natural flavors and use heat medians such as broiling or steaming.
As a result of the program Pitt County Memorial Hospital was named a “Center of Excellence” by North Carolina Prevention Partners, a statewide non-profit, membership organization dedicated to building effective prevention systems in NC communities and health systems in order to improve the health of North Carolinians.
“We are proud to be in a position to collaborate with Pitt County Memorial Hospital and bring to bear our consumer research, dietetic expertise, culinary capabilities and marketing resources to create a model environment for how hospital Cafés can become a community source for good nutrition,” said David Carpenter, Senior Vice President of Operations, ARAMARK Healthcare.
Pitt County Memorial Hospital is a 761-bed teaching hospital that is part of University Health Systems, serving Eastern North Carolina.
About ARAMARK
ARAMARK is a leader in professional services, providing award-winning food services, facilities management, and uniform and career apparel to health care institutions, universities and school districts, stadiums and arenas, and businesses around the world. In FORTUNE magazine's 2009 list of "World's Most Admired Companies," ARAMARK was ranked number one in its industry, consistently ranking since 1998 as one of the top three most admired companies in its industry as evaluated by peers and analysts. ARAMARK seeks to responsibly address issues that matter to its clients, customers, employees and communities by focusing on employee advocacy, environmental stewardship, health and wellness, and community involvement. Headquartered in Philadelphia, ARAMARK has approximately 260,000 employees serving clients in 22 countries. Learn more at www.twitter.com/aramarknews.
About ARAMARK Healthcare
ARAMARK Healthcare is a leader in providing best-in-class non-clinical services that are essential to healthcare delivery. Understanding that clinical excellence and the environment are interdependent, ARAMARK Healthcare directly impacts the entire healthcare continuum – patient, employee, nurse and physician satisfaction, operational efficiency and service excellence. Through its facilities, food and clinical technology services, ARAMARK Healthcare helps more than 1,000 hospitals and senior living facilities deliver the optimal experience for patients and residents, their families, and the physicians, nurses and staff who care for them. For more information visit www.aramarkhealthcare.com.
Contacts:
Chris Collom
215-238-3593
collom-chris@aramark.com